Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-01-27


and fight your
This had been John Browns request
when entrapped in his engine house, and
Booth aspired to die like Brown.
He repeated the request, and thought
it quite unmerciful that he was not ac-
corded little stage space to die effective
ly in.
"We1l waste no more time, y the civil
officer without spoke, in tone of disgust.
The kdtydid or cricket never ceased to
call its resounding beads, and "pray, pray,
pray"
Booth searched the heavens and the
world for some intercessor, and fetched
from weakness his mothers name. BY
that saint he asked for fifty yards and for
a little more time
Everything was refused.
''Now, then, my brave boys" he de-
claimed, in the tones of the stage again,
prepare a stretcher for mer'
"StretcherS" were the canvas biers to
carry out of battle wounded men Booth
assuming to the end-would appear to
be veteran entitled to the honors of war
He raised his carbine, feebly resolving
to kill some one or TO fire it off at least,
and as he stepped, on foot and crutch.
toward the center of the barn, TO be
farthest from mems aiming, a friction
match was scratched behind him, as if his
broken bones had rasped each other, and
sent a cold chill up his spine.
He turned and saw the barn on fire!
lighted whisp of straw, twisted by
some one without, had fallen into the
loose hay, and some brush piled against
the outside of the barn was also afire.
The warm flame for single instant car
ried the odor and crackle of his fathers
log cabin to his heart, and he shouted as
his crutch fell from under his arm and
left him helpless:
Captain, do it quick! Now shoot me
through the hearth
The cricket ceased to sing, though
everything beside came forth in the
bright light, till what had been the throne
of a gloom stood revealed in the blessed
implements and yield of husbandry. and
there were wasps flying around their nests
in the roof, Scenting flame, and in the lit
ter of the floor ran rats in single file, all
slyly, as from sinking ship and one
Squcaled as it crossed his shadow like an
old witch in an incarnation scene.
The plow and the harrow teeth took a
ruddy gleam; some swallows in the tim
hers few round and round, blinded by
the fire, and the pegs for tobacco and the
burning tobacco leaves grew to be ferns
and scallOps of gold as they hung, like
gilded scenes in spectacles, around the
desperate man
lie had seen ilres upon the stage and
helped to stamp them out, and he limped
rl fhp
but suddenly great tongue of fire licked
him aud singed him as if Cerberus at
hell s door had fondled on him with fur
mace tOnguei
Fear seized him and he ran toward the
door on misfitting bones-thc door held
open as by some invisible angel-and as
he ran the ponderous beams and trees in
the structure seemed to fall upon his
skull and smash it like an egg.
Booth next felt water in his face, and
two men were holding him up and search
ing his body and putting their fingers in
his brain
Its here said one, right where he
shot the president, behind the ear and on
the same side, and here it comes through"
In gagging torments he discerned be-
fore him two men in Confederate dress,
all shown by the light of the burning
barn, which was reflected in the home
stead porch he lay upon.
''Did-he-betray- sighed Booth,
pointing to one Of these, the officer who
had brought him to tho house
He did not hear the answer. but he
made it himself:
Tell-mother-I thought did-best
-rights-a Country-tiil-I died. Kill
mel Kill mel''
Herold, Tied to the tree in the little fat
lawn, saw them turn Booth TO make him
comfortable and heard him gasp and
SrOan, and Herold shed the only tears.
Booth could not swallow and his words
were measured like dew in the honey
suckle cup that dropped above his eyes
and opened to the fire.
He saw them, in his paralysis, hold up
the arsenal of things he had carried so
long--a great, fierce knife, with rust of
blood upon it, two pistols with revolving
cylinders thick as his riven ankle and
loaded in every chamber; a seven shotted
carbine; candle spotted pocket compass;
his diary full of protestations and despair
and holding Light Prisons name: his
pipe and scarf pin and the likenesscs of
ladies; and little Catholic medal. He
sighed;
Tongue
The detective opened his mouth and
said:
''Booth, no blood is on your tongue
He started at his name, which seemed
century since it had been mentioned,
and gasped:
Hands,
The officer raised his hand and moist
ened it with piece of ice, and lifted it all
limp 10 Booths face. 1t fell uncontrol-
able like his broken foot.
He feebly moved his eyeballs through
an arc which swept all nature and exhaled
the closing words;
tSeless-'less,'
His face now expressed the unseen
agony for which there was no word. and
the cherished pride Of strength pushed
Death away that mercifully drew near
again and again, but ever was repelled by
the flushing rose and pulse of life, till
that the countenance of the actor and
athlete seemed battle ground of wounds
and spasms, growing follower with each
contention and ready at the cock s crow,
like the wandering ghost, to fade into the
morn.
A carbineer had killed him in the barn:
and long afterward was found in the ashes
there the field glass delivered to him at
Surratt SITS leather case found unin-
Jured in a distant farm house
The cocks began to crow The morn
awaked with sullen eyes. A doctor had
come, hut it was too late George Alfred
Townsend in katy of Catoctin."
Glass mirrors were first used, speciacles
were invented and clocks made TO strike